United sack Mourinho

Mourinho's final game in charge was a 3-1 defeat to rivals Liverpool

Michael Carrick to take training until new temporary boss from outside the club is appointed until the end of the season - expected within next 48 hours.

Mourinho was sacked shortly after 9am in a face-to-face meeting with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward at United's Carrington training base.

Woodward was keen to speak to Mourinho face to face to tell him of the board's decision.

 

Michael Carrick will take care of first-team affairs before an interim manager is appointed until the end of the season. The interim appointment - which is understood will be someone from outside the club - is expected within the next 48 hours.

Mourinho's future has been the subject of intense scrutiny this season - and the club's worst start to a season in 28 years was confirmed with defeat at Liverpool on Sunday.

The 55-year-old Portuguese insisted at Anfield that he had not lost the dressing room, as his team sat sixth in the Premier League table and 11 points off the Champions League places.

But Ed Woodward is understood to have told Mourinho of his fate on Tuesday morning before the club announced that "manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect".

A statement continued: "The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future.

"A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager."

Mourinho only signed a new two-year contract until 2020 earlier this year but his troubled season began when he publicly criticised the United board for not backing him in the summer transfer market.

He had wanted at least one new centre-back but he did not get one, with the club signing £50m midfielder Fred, Porto youngster Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant as a backup goalkeeper.

Fractures in his relationship with Paul Pogba began to emerge in September and the France World Cup winner was stripped of the vice-captaincy and was left on the bench for the game against rivals Liverpool on Sunday along with other star players such as Anthony Martial, whose ongoing contract dispute with the club has only added to the inner turmoil at Old Trafford.

Mourinho leaves having won a Europa League and EFL Cup double in 2016-17, winning 84 of his 144 matches in charge.